Exploring Byodo-In Temple, Kahaluu, O’ahu, Hawaii

At first glance Byodo-In Temple appears to be a magical, imaginary place. Surely nothing this beautiful and idyllic can be for real. Yet within the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park exists this otherworldly place. Byodo-In Temple was our first destination on O’ahu and was well worth the visit. It doesn’t take very long to walk around the grounds, but the beautiful colors and construction add to the allure of this tropical area.

Created in 1968 to honor Japanese immigrants in Hawaii, this temple is a smaller replica of a temple in Uji, Japan. With the Ko’olau Mountains as a backdrop the stunning red architecture is a sight to behold.

The fee to enter the park is very minimal at $3 per adult, $2 per senior, and $1 per child.

When entering the temple it is respectful to take off your shoes. Guests can light incense to pay their respects or say a prayer.

It seems that the mosquitos can be difficult here, but we didn’t have any noticeable problems after using repellant.

In addition to the temple there are a few other things that will have kids intrigued. There is a koi pond with a plethora of fish. I don’t know if I have ever seen so many koi in one pond!

There are also wild cats that lounge around the grounds. I use the term wild since they are not technically owned by anyone, but they are domesticated cats that are used to the tourists.

There are also pigeons and even a small bamboo forest.

My little fellas favorite part was probably ringing the Bon-sho. Every time we visit Enger Tower in Duluth, MN we always ring the peace bell and this bell was very similar.

If you ever make your way to O’ahu I definitely recommend visiting this picturesque spot! Find all the details on this stunning location by visiting Byodo-In Temple online.